Daniel Bryan was voted “Superstar of the Year” by the WWE Universe. What can we expect from the former WWE champion in 2014?

2013 was a memorable year in the world of professional wrestling; we’ve seen the unveiling of a new WWE championship, as well as the unification of WWE’s two World titles. We’ve seen the rising of several promising talents within the developmental camps of WWE, as well as changes we’ve longed hoped for within WWE and TNA. What do we as wrestling fans have to look forward to as we close out this year and move into the new year?

Well, brother… Hulkamania is no longer running wild in the IMPACT Zone, but may make a long-awaited return to the WWE. No, not as an active wrestler because let’s face it, Hulk Hogan is long past his glory days. It’s strange, we’ve seen the Hulkster in TNA Wrestling for about 3-4 years and no one batted an eye, but if he were to return to the WWE, fans would lose their minds. And why wouldn’t they? Despite the leading role as a General Manager in TNA, Hogan’s real home will always be the WWE. It was in the WWE that Hulkamania truly ran wild with a four-year WWE championship reign, and the pinnacle of the birth of WrestleMania.

So how’s TNA Wrestling fairing without the Hulkster in charge? Well, I guess the IMPACT Zone has Dixie Carter because she is a Carter and the world needs her, apparently. At first, if you followed me on twitter @WrestlingTimesX, I didn’t have anything nice to say about Dixie Carter when she first started her heel turn, but she has come a long way. Dixie Carter, with her outrageous demands, delusions of grandeur, insane concepts, and constant back-talking towards “The Phenomenal One”, has turned into quite the character.

Then she made the decision of placing the championship on Magnus, which doesn’t sit well with me because he hasn’t proven himself to take on that position. Hopefully in time, Magnus might use this opportunity to grow a personality and prove to be entertaining to say the least. 2013 in TNA was really a long-shot experiment to try to launch Magnus to the top, with him being involved with the Main Event Mafia, to being thrust into a main event match at Bound for Glory against “The Icon” Sting. I’m all for TNA trying to develop new talents, but don’t force them into a position that they are clearly not ready for.

AJ Styles makes his triumphant return to Ring of Honor Wrestling on January 4th.

Where oh where is the People’s champion? Not talking about Hollywood Rocky, I’m referring to AJ Styles who high-tailed it out of TNA Wrestling to defend the World championship around the world. Well, after losing the unification match to Magnus, and negotiations on a new contract went south, Styles made his triumphant return to the independent circuit as a free agent. Ring of Honor Wrestling announced that on January 4th, Styles will make his return to ROH after eight years against “Mr. ROH” Roderick Strong.

“I’m excited to return to ROH and the Nashville Fairgrounds. Lots of history made that I was made that I was part of in both. Expect more on January 4. Hope Nashville fans fill that asylum,” said AJ.

Enough about TNA, what about the rising stars of tomorrow in NXT Wrestling? WWE has Kassius Ohno… no, wait, Chris Hero was released from his contract and returned back to the independent circuit. There was talk about Hero not following orders about his physique, not too sure if any of that was true, but WWE didn’t truly understand Hero like the way his followers did. The man had all the god-given ability to become a major player in the WWE, but he was left to make gold out of crap with a crap name like Kassius Ohno. Was he supposed to be Russian or Japanese? What kind of name was that? At least Hero gets to return to his fans with the gimmick that provided a living for himself unlike Sin Cara.

Not a hundred percent sure what has become of the original Místico, Luis Ignascio Urive Alvirde, since Hunico is currently donning the Sin Cara mask, but if Ignascio does get released from the WWE, he will be left with nothing. Think about it, WWE owns the likeness of the Sin Cara gimmick which is the Místico gimmick only in blue. What chance does Ignascio have of making a living outside of the WWE? Then again, Mexico would probably take him back in a heart beat with promotional signs reading “Former WWE Superstar…” just to draw in crowds.

Sami Zayn, formerly recognized as El Generico, is unmasked and taking NXT Wrestling by storm. He is already being hailed as the future of the WWE.

Do you know who doesn’t share Ignascio’s problem? Sami Zayn, formerly known as the “Generic Luchador” El Generico, has made quite an IMPACT–no, not over in Dixieland–in NXT Wrestling. The Florida fans at Full Sail University are well aware of who Sami Zayn truly is with chants of “Ole… Ole, Ole, Ole!” And Sami has delivered every time he has stepped foot in the wrestling ring; even Michael Cole said that his match with Antonio Cesaro was one of the best matches he’d seen in a long time–and this was after WrestleMania. I won’t lie, it was strange at first seeing El Generico unmasked, since I really loved his character in Ring of Honor, but he’s actually making a developmental opportunity into a “sensational” one.

As wrestling moves forward into 2014, the WWE will have its work cut out for them as they introduce a new generation to what wrestling was like when it only had one world champion. Opportunities for superstars to earn championship matches will be far less, but it’s been long overdue because wrestling really needs a champion who will represent the company as Hulk Hogan and Bret Hart did in the early years.

There’s talk of the return of Jeff Jarrett to TNA Wrestling. Not too sure how I would feel about that. Many people say it would be great to have Double-J back in control because he gave us an alternative to the WWE. But he also gave us matches that saw him as the World champion, which when a booker books himself to be on top, the promotion fails to progress.

::To the Reader:: Thank you for reading my blog for the past year, now raise your glass–whether it’s coffee, soda, wine, or a Steveweiser–and let’s toast to the New Years and to another year of professional wrestling. And don’t forget to follow the mantra of WrestlingTimesX – Love Wrestling… Now. Then. Forever.

Answer the Question: What are you looking forward to in professional wrestling come the New Year?

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This past Sunday at Hardcore Justice, Kurt Angle became the TNA World champion for the record fifth time. On the way to becoming the champ, Kurt used a steel chair on Sting because he wanted his integrity back.

Usually the line between fan favorite and villain in TNA varies from week to week. Prime example: Mr. Anderson. Was he a face this week? But Kurt’s heel turn actually has a back story, dating back to when Jeff Jarrett started seeing Kurt’s former wife Karen.

Dixie Carter assured Kurt that nothing was going on. We all know how that all turned out – Mr. & Mrs. Jarrett, while Kurt was left with the promise that he would be the face of the company, and the task of helping the development of younger talents.

Then came Hulk Hogan. On Sunday, Hogan inadvertently offered Angle the golden opportunity to regain his integrity by stripping Dixie’s white knight, Sting, of the TNA World title. Why? Because Hulk Hogan informed Kurt that Dixie was aware of Jarrett’s advances to Karen, and never did anything about it.

Even though Kurt has since come out on top in from 6-month feud with Jeff Jarrett, has remarried, has a new baby girl, and is currently training for the 2012 Olympics in London, the light of this new information has provoked Kurt Angle.

It wasn’t anything personal with Sting, he’s just been attempting to get Dixie’s company back. Kurt no longer wants that to happen. Under Hulk’s leadership, Kurt Angle will be the face of the company. As for the young talents, Kurt vowed to take them out one by one until there is only Kurt Angle left.

As such, Kurt attacked Crimson at the end of Impact Wrestling Thursday night, exposed the injured right knee, and proceeded to twist his ankle in between the ring ropes. The undefeated Crimson may have been taken out of the Bound for Glory Series Tournament. If so, Angle just avoided the biggest threat to his TNA World Title.

Does this mean that Kurt Angle is a part of Immortal? All signs point to that conclusion, especially after embracing Hulk Hogan following the physical assault on Sting. This being the case, doesn’t Angle realize that if he sides with Immortal, he will be in direct alliance with his sworn enemy and his ex-wife? Isn’t this the reason why he turned on Dixie in the first place?

Since Immortal officially ousted Mr. Anderson out of the group, a spot has opened for Angle.

Soon enough, Abyss may also be ousted from Immortal since he has yet been forgiven, by Eric Bischoff, for failing to destroy the X Division. Bischoff forced “The Monster” to stand in to listen as he informed the X wrestlers about the importance now being placed in the division.

Among the wrestlers, Austin Aries requested a moment of Bischoff’s time. “The Greatest Man That Ever Lived” may perhaps provide his services to Immortal in the not so distant future, since he also shares the same dislike for the X Division guys, who will now all be cruiserweights. Bischoff still not understanding the concept of wrestling renewed, (read story here), has ordered a weight limit of 220-or less. Yes, the days of Abyss, Samoa Joe, and Kurt Angle in the X Division are over.

It took some convincing on the part of both Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff, some tough love from Immortal, and some threatening from Bully Ray, but it was all worth it. The TNA World Heavyweight title has returned to Immortal’s ranks thanks to their newest member Mr. Anderson.

In the fray of a predicted four-on-one handicap main event on Impact Wrestling, Anderson emerged at the top of the entrance ramp to fill in as Kurt Angle’s partner. The Impact crowd was solely behind Anderson as he knocked down each member of Immortal. But when it came time to tag out, Anderson impulsively (and predictably) grabbed Kurt and laid him out with The Mic Check. The tumultuous actions of Anderson left Immortal perplex as to why Anderson gave them the pinfall, until he jumped into Abyss’s arms.

We all knew it was bound to happen, but what took so long?

Since losing his title at Against All Odds, Anderson has done some down-right shady and despicable things. At Lethal Lockdown, Anderson opportunistically attacked Rob Van Dam with a lead pipe, while at the same time antagonizing Hogan. Anderson, in the weeks leading up to Slammiversary IX, dressed up like Sting’s “surfer” gimmick to get under his skin. Then at Slammiversary IX, Anderson didn’t object to Bischoff interfering in the World title match on his behalf; he used the momentum to deliver a low blow to Sting followed by The Mic Check to win his second TNA World title. And he still hadn’t join Immortal, he took the credit because Anderson admitted, “that’s what assholes do.”

So why now? Why side with Immortal? Simple. He wants to stay champion. It’s all about being the World Champion, and while Anderson hates being told what to do (shout out to Vince) he hates not being champion even more.

Anderson has seen from first-hand experience what happens to a World Champion without the backing of Hogan’s Immortals. RVD was practically butchered alive by “The Monster” Abyss. Anderson prematurely lost his first World title thanks to Bischoff forcing him to defend it against Jeff Hardy in a second rematch–a ladder match. Then, when Hardy failed to regain the World title back from Sting, his Immortal membership dissolved.

Not to mention that Anderson’s current opponents are enemies of Immortal. Anderson was lucky enough to wrangle the World Title from Sting. Would he be so lucky a second time? Then there’s the number one contender Kurt Angle. Anderson came out on the losing end of their feud in 2010. And with Kurt’s recent feud with Jeff Jarrett, his thirst to become World Champion has only made him more determined.

Let’s not forget Crimson who is undefeated in the Bound for Glory series–currently ranked #1. There’s also Gunner who already has a pinfall victory over him. Who’s to say Bischoff doesn’t schedule Anderson vs Gunner for the title?

Anderson may be an asshole, but he’s a smart man. Siding with Immortal, especially as their leader, will offer him back up against the likes of Sting and Kurt Angle.

Now… suppose Crimson doesn’t make it to B4G? Perhaps it will be Gunner. Could we see another Finger Poke of Doom classic?

For the past four weeks, it seems TNA’s movement to rebuild the X-Division could be for real. This Sunday, four men will vie for a TNA contract. Two of them are former X-Division wrestlers, and the other two are looking to make a break in the business. All four men have earned their way through 3-Way qualifiers to earn the right to wrestle at Destination X, but who will walk out with the contract?

As of right now, Low Ki, according to an on-line poll conducted on Impact Wrestling’s facebook page, is the odds on favorite to win the TNA contract with 2,271 votes. It wasn’t too long ago when Low Ki was competing on WWE’s NXT Season 2, working under the ring name Kaval, for a WWE contract. Kaval was voted to the number 1 spot on the weekly polls week after week by the WWE Pros and WWE Universe before winning the WWE contract.

But after being released by WWE because Creative had nothing for him, why does Low Ki want to return to TNA?

As mentioned on a past edition of Dave Lagana’sFormerly Creative podcast, Low Ki left TNA the first time in 2004 because he wanted to gain experience in Japan. Then when he returned in 2006, Low Ki noticed that the same guys who were in charge were the same guys in charge when WCW went under. Soon after the X-Division started being featured less and less on TV to make room for the much older WCW wrestlers, who couldn’t perform up to the same level as the younger X-Division guys. Then TNA starting giving Low Ki a hard time for wanting rights to the Low Ki name, and to sign a contract where they would also control his bookings. Enough was enough, so Low Ki left TNA in 2008.

On June 27, 2011, Low Ki returned, defeating fellow former X-Division wrestlers Jimmy Yang and Matt Bentley to advance to the four-way match at Destination X. In a mixed video package featuring the three combatants, the former 2-time X-Division champion stated that the reason he came back is to prove to the world that pro wrestling still matters.

Austin Aries, a former X-Division rival of Low Ki’s, will also be competing this Sunday. Aries was the first of the four finalist to advance to Destination X, having defeated fellow former X-Division wrestlers Jimmy Rave and Kid Kash on June 13, 2011. Now, after four years wrestling for Ring of Honor Wrestling, Dragon Gate USA, Evolve Wrestling, and NWA Championship Wrestling from Hollywood, including an unprecedented second reign as the ROH World Champion, Aries is long overdue to wrestle on a national platform.

Shiima Xion, who is now working under the ring name Zema Ion, defeated Dakota Darsow and Federico Palacios to advance in the tournament. Shiima garnered moderate success wrestling for International Wrestling Cartel, which included battles against future TNA stars Homicide, AJ Styles, Chris Sabin, and Nigel McGuinness. He also gained experience in Japan wrestling in Sanshiro Takagi’s Dramatic Dream Team promotion. Shiima is an unknown to the Impact Wrestling audience, but can this Sunday prove to be a name recognition night?

The final participant to join Sunday’s 4-Way match is Jack Evans. Aside from a short appearance as part of TNA’s Team Canada (he’s American), Evans has yet been given the opportunity to wrestle on a national stage. With breakdancing, a large arsenal of corkscrew variations, and a jaw-dropping 630° senton, Evans certainly possesses the high flying excitement that fans have come to expect from the X-Division. But with Austin Aries in the mix, how will Evans fair against his former Generation Next stable mate?

With TNA currently having a working relationship with Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA), it’s safe to speculate that Jeff Jarrett, the company’s current World Champion, personally granted Jack Evans, the promotion’s current World Cruiserweight champion and World Tag Team champion, this opportunity.

Evans’s match this past Thursday, defeating Jesse Sorenson and Tony Nees, captured the interests from current WWE Superstars Dolph Ziggler, Tyson Kidd, and Gail Kim. Ziggler tweeted the following, “Cool ultimate x qualifier match on impact tonight! Evans does some pretty sick stuff! #seewrestlingcanbefun.” If Evans happens to not win this Sunday, could we see him on WWE performing against the likes of Evan Bourne, Rey Mysterio Jr, and Sin Cara?

When it comes to the belief that Wrestling (still) Matters, men like Low-Ki, Austin Aries, Shiima Xion, and Jack Evans could indeed elevate TNA to the next stage in cementing its core product. It all depends on who wins this Sunday, and if the TNA Powers believe in the X-Division.

At the TNA house show in Brooklyn, NY, Rob Van Dam pinned AJ Styles with the Five Star Frog Splash to advance 7 points in the Bound for Glory series, in which the winner receives a TNA World Title opportunity at the Bound for Glory pay-per-view. The loss left AJ bitter, so much so that he refused to shake RVD’s hand, and his disappointment later continued when he and Kurt Angle posed with fans for pictures inside of the ring ($20 per photo).

Styles’s attitude may have been attributed to dropping three matches thus far in the tournament, or it could be directed towards the beloved, care free Rob Van Dam. Since RVD arrived in TNA in March of last year, Styles has been unable to score a victory over “The Whole F’N Show,” having lost his World Title to him, and most recently has been upstaged in regards to who’s headlining Destination X. Originally, AJ Styles was set to headline the pay-per-view against fellow X-Division champion Christopher Daniels, but now, with the unexpected return of Jerry Lynn, Van Dam has stated that he will face off against his famed ECW rival at the same event, claiming, “I was X-Division before there was X-Division.”

AJ Styles knows he’s phenomenal. The split decision with the Brooklyn, NY, fans can attest to that. But despite having achieved the TNA Grand Slam Championship status, he’s still considered, in the eyes of TNA Management, beneath Rob-Van-Dam.

Devon also advanced 7 points in the B4G Tourney after defeating Bully Ray in a Brooklyn Street Fight, involving trash cans, soda cans, and metal trays. With the assist from referee Brian Hebner, Devon connected with the diving headbutt for the finish.

TNA World Champion Mr. Andersonand Kurt Angle met in the night’s main event in a non-title match. While Anderson managed to connect with the Green Bay Plunge, and break away from Angle’s Ankle Lock submission, Anderson fell victim to the Angle Slam.

Other notes from the live show: As a VIP ticket holder, I partook in the meet & greet with some of the TNA stars before the event. The meet & greet had Angelina Love, Winter, Cookie, Orlando Jordan, Amazing Red, Eric Young, Crimson, Robbie E, Douglas Williams, and Brutus Magnus. To which I now have all their autographs in my TNA program (priced $20).

But the highlight of my evening took place moments before the event started when I met TNA Knockouts champion Mickie James (priced $10). She is stunning. Words cannot describe how happy I was in meeting her. I’ve been a fan of hers for years, and meeting her was truly a dream fulfilled. The picture is posted up on the “Meeting the Stars” tab on the homepage.

As for the mythical “Meeting the Stars Backstage” if you are the loudest fan, my friend actually won that pass. She met Mr. Anderson, AJ Styles, Kurt Angle, and Mickie James. The backstage treatment allows you to take pictures with them, and get their autographs. She’s lucky because she was sitting right next to me when Jeremy Borash handed her the pass.

Until next time: Remember to subscribe to Wrestling Times X to receive new posts directly to your e-mail. Share this and all posts. And follow me on Twitter @WrestlingTimesX for quick rants.

Slammiversary IX featured The Final Battle between Kurt Angle and Jeff Jarrett in a No. 1 contender’s Match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship with Angle’s Olympic Gold Medal on the line, Sting vs. Mr. Anderson for the TNA World Title, Gun Money (James Storm and Alex Shelley) vs. The British Invasion (Brutus Magnus and Douglas Williams) for the World Tag Team Titles, Abyss vs. Brian Kendrick vs. Kazarian for the X-Division Title, Mickie James vs. Angelina Love w/Winter for the Knockouts Title, Bully Ray vs. AJ Styles in a Last Man Standing Match, & more…

With another PPV come and gone, let’s steam roll through with a new segment called “What worked, and What didn’t?”

Mr. Anderson the New TNA World Champion:

With weeks and weeks of Mr. Anderson mocking Sting’s old school ring attire, and calling Stinger a joke, I expected some vindication. The match started out great with Anderson talking on the microphone and Sting coming up from behind and shouting out “Anderson” before starting the onslaught there. I didn’t even mind them fighting through the audience (even though Sting already did this same spot during his match last month with Rob Van Dam). The point of the match that didn’t work was Eric Bischoff showing face.

Can we just get through one show without seeing Bischoff?

Just before Bischoff showed up, Jackson James replaced Brian Hebner who took a bump. If there was a Tough Enough for referees, Jackson James would have been in the Bottom Three. He’s the main reason why this match didn’t work. When Mr. Anderson went for the low blow, James was in clear view of the incident and instead of disqualifying Anderson, he grants him the 3-count.

In the words of Bill DeMott: This guy is geener than goose s–t!

On another note: Can Mr. Anderson win the title without outside interference?

Kurt Angle the No. 1 Contender for the TNA World Title:

With Karen Jarrett out of the picture, Angle and Jarrett finally had their one-on-one wrestling match. Was this encounter better than Angle’s battles with Desmond Wolfe, AJ Styles, Mr. Anderson, or even Jeff Hardy? No, it wasn’t and that’s the bad thing about it. The importance of becoming the no. 1 contender, or even the possibility of relinquishing the Olympic gold medal was never emphasized, it was treated like a grudge match.

The wrestling was great with Kurt executing the three-Germans and Jarrett connecting with The Stroke from off the middle ropes. Even the final moments of the match when Jarrett grape-vined the Ankle Lock, Kurt was only seconds of tapping out. Angle managing to find a counter to his own submission proved that he is a master of the hold (let’s not boost his ego too much, or else he’ll start Twitter-hacking). Then the finality of it all, Jarrett tapping out with both hands as Angle locked in the grape-vine Ankle Lock.

Let’s just hope that Angle and Anderson can rekindle their magic storytelling.

Bully Ray steals Styles’s Momentous Night:

This match — more than anything — should have centered the spotlight on AJ Styles as the company’s way of saying “Here’s our guy.” Instead, Bully Ray kicks Styles through a set to earn the victory. Even the audience had to call that “bull s–t.”

The match had a great build up, Bully Ray is probably one of the best talkers they have on the roster, and when he emphasized that this would be a last MAN standing, I was ready to see Ray make Styles look like a million bucks. On the contrary, he made Styles look like a chump.

The match was building towards a satisfying victory for Styles, but turned into another match where the ending didn’t correlate with the match.

Mickie James retains the Knockouts Title:

What the heck was with that finish? Mickie went for her standing tornado DDT, and Angelina fell sideways. Even Taz commented on the failed connection of the finisher. Mickie was wise to pick up the victory any which way she could.

Earl Hebner — I commend him — did a great job of keeping Winter from interfering for the majority of the match.

And Still World Tag Team Champions:

There was nothing surprising about this match, since we already got to see James Storm and Alex Shelley team up in a match against Mexican America for free on Impact Wrestling. Sure, there was the moment when Storm accidentally sprayed Shelley with beer where The British Invasion looked to win their second Tag Titles, but Magnus and Williams couldn’t get the job done. Rather than looking like a seasoned tag team, The British Invasion made a lot of rookie mistakes.

With Robert Roode injured and unable to defend the belts with his partner, The British Invasion should have gone over as the new champs since they can actually defend them.

Has Abyss won the war?

Channeling Sun Tzu’s Art of War, Abyss divided and conquered in order to retain the X-Division Title. Didn’t have much expectations for the revival of the X-Division, especially with the Destination X PPV scheduled for next month.

A no. 1 contender’s bout between Brian Kendrick and Kazarian would prove to be a great match, if only Bischoff is smart enough to book it. Since Kendrick is the leader (or mouthpiece) of the short-lived X-Division Revolt or Riot act, he would do well with the role of X Title holder because he also embodies the spirit of the X-Division.

Crimson earns respect:

Whether Crimson could be the next Samoa Joe is up for debate. Frankly, this feud would have been better if 1) Samoa Joe hadn’t already been on a losing streak, and 2) Crimson and Joe had been featured in higher profile segments on Impact Wrestling.

The code of honor being reached at the conclusion of the match was a nice touch, definitely a decent bout, but where do they go from here?

Matt Morgan wins:

Scott Steiner was recently interviewed for the “Wrestling Matters” segments on Impact Wrestling, and he metaphorically describes being there as the handcuffs being off in terms of being able to say what he wants. Believe me, that is not a good thing. There is a reason why other promotions would minimize his mic time, he cannot piece together a sentence if a protein bar depended on it. We’ve all heard him botch up a promo and then cover it up by flexing. Matt Morgan picking up the victory is not a surprise, it’s how Steiner still wrestles that proves to be the phenomenon.

That’s it for this post. If you feel that some things worked or didn’t work that wasn’t mentioned please jot them down in the comment box, or send me a line on twitter. My twitter handler is WrestlingTimesX. There are also some nifty share buttons on the bottom: Spread the word!

Did anyone else know that there was an Impact Wrestling pay-per-view tonight? It seems to be the case every month. Is it lack of promotion? Or lack of fans? Tonight is not only the ninth anniversary for TNA Entertainment LLC, (Yup, Wrestling Matters, my ass) but the first PPV under the Impact Wrestling banner. The significance of “Slammiversary” (only in professional wrestling…) has heavily decreased since The Hogan-Bischoff Regime. And it seems lately that everyone points the blame at these guys, but there’s a reason why we do it. Not only has the six-sided ring since been eliminated, but Slammiversary has since ceased hosting the King of the Mountain Match. With both Jeff Jarrett and Kurt Angle each holding two victories as King of the Mountain, wouldn’t it have made sense for them to compete in another KoM match to determine the True King of the Mountain? Just saying.

With that said, do you even know who’s on the card? Well, you came to the right place because Wrestling Times X proudly presents: “What to Expect?” — Rants and listings for tonight’s Impact Wrestling Slammiversary IX.

Mr. Anderson finally has his one-on-one shot for the TNA World Championship against Sting. Having lost the belt back at Against All Odds, Mr. Anderson has been demanding his rematch. Can Mr. Anderson once again realize his dreams and become the new TNA World Heavyweight Champion? Or will Sting sneak by with another under-ten-minute title defense? The Bottom Line: Sting may be the Icon, but at 52, it is time for Sting to pass the torch. But what about his promise to eliminate the cancer that is the Hogan-Bischoff Regime? He doesn’t need to be the World Champion to do what he does best: lie in wait in the rafters above, and strike them down with his trusty baseball bat.

Kurt Angle and Jeff Jarrett, after six months, will finally end their feud tonight. Finally, the two will square off in the ring one-on-one without the distractions from the titillating Karen Jarrett. Jarrett has taken Kurt’s ex-wife, his kids, he’s taken pretty much everything except for Kurt’s prized possession – his Olympic Gold Medal. Angle won his gold medal in the heavyweight (90–100 kg; 198–220 lb) weight class despite his neck injury, defeating the Iranian Abbas Jadidi. He is the only Olympic Gold Medalist is all of professional wrestling. It is what has sparked and defined his professional wrestling career. Tonight, will Jeff Jarrett earn possession of the gold, or will Kurt Angle finally score the long-awaited pinfall victory?

Eric Bischoff has been on a vendetta to destroy the X-Division, which he started by forcing Kazarian to defend the X-Division belt against “The Monster” Abyss. Now in possession of the title, Abyss has renamed it the X-treme Championship instead of destroying the belt. Now a student of The Art of War, Abyss believes that it is better to hold on to the title as a reminder to the X-Division of what they lost. Brian Kendrick has been on a journey to reignite the passion that was once the X-Division. Tonight, Abyss has allowed for both Kazarian and Kendrick to challenge for the belt in a Triple-Threat Match.

The British Invasion (Brutus Magnus and Douglas Williams) look to become two-time TNA World Tag Team Champions as they face the team of Beer Money’s James Storm and Motor City Machine Guns’ Alex Shelley for the belts. With Robert Roode sidelined with a shoulder injury, and Alex Shelley without his partner Chris Sabin (also sidelined) the pact between former enemies were made out of respect for each other and for the honor of defending the TNA World Tag Team Titles. But from what was showcased in their match against Mexican America, “Gun Money” lack the continuity that is shared between tag team partners. Can Gun Money manage to retain the gold for Beer Money, or will British Invasion take their regal spot in Impact Wrestling?

Angelina Love w/Winter will challenge Mickie James for the Knockouts Championship. Love, holding a pinfall victory over Mickie James in tag team action, could possibly be Mickie’s greatest opponent to date because of her zombie-like lack of emotions. Love cannot feel pain, sorrow, or remorse, which means that Mickie will be unable to psych-out her opponent. Unless… Winter does seem to have a mystical sense of control over Angelina’s mind, much like Paul Bearer had on The Undertaker. Now, if Mickie were to eliminate Winter from ringside, would that mean that Angelina would weaken? This could very well be Mickie’s ticket towards retaining her title.

Bully Ray and AJ Styles meet in a Last Man Standing Match. When it comes to brute strength, and an undeniable Extreme background from the Bingo Halls of ECW, Bully Ray has the utmost advantage when it comes to these type of matches. But let’s not forget that AJ Styles holds a hardcore victory over Tommy Dreamer with a fork in the eye, and retains a year of experience under the tutelage of “The Dirtiest Player in the Game” Ric Flair. Can Styles find redemption for Bully Ray powerbombing him off the entrance ramp, or will Ray continue dominating the Impact Wrestling Zone?

Also taking place at Slammiversary: Samoa Joe sets out to end the winning streak of Crimson, and Matt Morgan takes on Scott Steiner.

And that my friends is a crash course of what to expect from tonight’s Impact Wrestling Slammiversary IX pay-per-view. Whether or not you decide to drop this week’s paycheck, or skip it, come back tomorrow (or the day after that) for The Final Thoughts Post with all the rants of the event.

Until next time: Remember to subscribe, tell a friend, phone a friend, add Wrestling Times X to your web browsers’ favorites on your computer and your mobile devices. Also, please Share this and all posts. Follow me on Twitter @WrestlingTimesX for quick rants, which I will be too lazy to post on this site. Oh, and RT everything I say because it’s golden!